Regarding the last comment that was made (thanks): I did realize that the Garrick was originally called the Schiller, but my thought was that maybe when the new managers took over, the possibility existed that (for whatever reason) they may have decided to name the theater after a different man who was represented among the same relief busts. Just my thought.
Regarding the Second City building: maybe the second facade from the right is David Garrick? Here is the photo again as was previously provided: View link
A thought for consideration: the third facade face from the left in the 1919 photo might be David Garrick, who was a famous British playwright of the 18th century. (Perhaps the original Garrick Theatre facades are not necessarily all of famous Germans.) Here is information regarding David Garrick: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Garrick
Perhaps one of the famous facade faces was actually a man with the last name of Garrick — this is only my guess. If that’s so, then maybe he was a famous playwright, because there’s also a theatre named the Garrick in London. It would follow to reason that people might want to name more than one theatre (in various locations) in honor of a famous playwright of that name.
In the 1919 photo link previously provided by BWChicago, it can be seen that originally there were at least 10 relief bust medallions set into the Garrick, (which can be viewed in larger size by clicking on the photo itself a couple of times, and then waiting momentarily while the computer adjusts the focus.) Here it is again: View link
Undoubtedly, one of the men represented here was Schiller. It was probably Freidrich Schiller, because in the attached additional link I’ve just found and added here, it tells that there is a memorial for him in Lincoln Park, and that a postage stamp was made in his honor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Schiller
FYI — regarding my last comment, and in particular, the Symphony Hall photo link attachment: I realized after posting it that once you have opened the link for the photo, if you click on the photo itself a couple of times, then a small orange box with four blue arrows will appear in the lower, right-hand corner. Then, if you click on that small box, the photo itself will appear larger, and then you can view the names I was referring to. Here is the link again: View link
In answer to the questions regarding the identities of the famous German nationals on the facade, I think I may have found the answer, for the following reasons. The other week, I was walking past the Symphony Center building (formerly known as Orchestra Hall). It is, in my opinion, a sort of sister building to the Garrick, because it has archways above the entrance, and also because it has the NAMES of famous German nationals etched in stone above the archways, which are the following: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Wagner. Here is a picture of the Symphony Center, although the names are not visible in this photo. The names would appear in a larger photo: View link
By the way, the Symphony Center has been designated a national landmark, since 1994.
(I would like to give thanks to Jesus for providing the answers to difficult questions, when we ask them of Him.)
The Chicago History Museum has many close up photos in their research center of the Garrick Theatre that can be viewed. It is well worth the trip to go and see from the photos just how beautiful this building really was. Even as it was being torn down, it was determined that the building was structurally sound and could have been converted for other purposes. Among the photos are included some of Richard Nickel, as well as John Vinci, who were part of the preservationist team. I just found out on the internet (and the readers will be very glad to know), that Mr. Vinci continues to work as an architect and preservationist. His firm is Vinci/Hamp Architects. He spearheaded the project of moving the old Chicago Stock Exchange trading floor to the Art Institute in Chicago. You can view breathtaking photos of their restoration work (including the old Chicago Stock Exchange trading floor) on their website at www.vinci-hamp.com
Regarding the last comment that was made (thanks): I did realize that the Garrick was originally called the Schiller, but my thought was that maybe when the new managers took over, the possibility existed that (for whatever reason) they may have decided to name the theater after a different man who was represented among the same relief busts. Just my thought.
Regarding the Second City building: maybe the second facade from the right is David Garrick? Here is the photo again as was previously provided: View link
A thought for consideration: the third facade face from the left in the 1919 photo might be David Garrick, who was a famous British playwright of the 18th century. (Perhaps the original Garrick Theatre facades are not necessarily all of famous Germans.) Here is information regarding David Garrick: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Garrick
Perhaps one of the famous facade faces was actually a man with the last name of Garrick — this is only my guess. If that’s so, then maybe he was a famous playwright, because there’s also a theatre named the Garrick in London. It would follow to reason that people might want to name more than one theatre (in various locations) in honor of a famous playwright of that name.
Here is a link regarding Johann Wolfgang Goethe, who was also famous and was friends with the famous Friedrich Schiller: View link
In the 1919 photo link previously provided by BWChicago, it can be seen that originally there were at least 10 relief bust medallions set into the Garrick, (which can be viewed in larger size by clicking on the photo itself a couple of times, and then waiting momentarily while the computer adjusts the focus.) Here it is again: View link
Undoubtedly, one of the men represented here was Schiller. It was probably Freidrich Schiller, because in the attached additional link I’ve just found and added here, it tells that there is a memorial for him in Lincoln Park, and that a postage stamp was made in his honor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Schiller
FYI — regarding my last comment, and in particular, the Symphony Hall photo link attachment: I realized after posting it that once you have opened the link for the photo, if you click on the photo itself a couple of times, then a small orange box with four blue arrows will appear in the lower, right-hand corner. Then, if you click on that small box, the photo itself will appear larger, and then you can view the names I was referring to. Here is the link again: View link
In answer to the questions regarding the identities of the famous German nationals on the facade, I think I may have found the answer, for the following reasons. The other week, I was walking past the Symphony Center building (formerly known as Orchestra Hall). It is, in my opinion, a sort of sister building to the Garrick, because it has archways above the entrance, and also because it has the NAMES of famous German nationals etched in stone above the archways, which are the following: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Wagner. Here is a picture of the Symphony Center, although the names are not visible in this photo. The names would appear in a larger photo: View link
By the way, the Symphony Center has been designated a national landmark, since 1994.
(I would like to give thanks to Jesus for providing the answers to difficult questions, when we ask them of Him.)
The Chicago History Museum has many close up photos in their research center of the Garrick Theatre that can be viewed. It is well worth the trip to go and see from the photos just how beautiful this building really was. Even as it was being torn down, it was determined that the building was structurally sound and could have been converted for other purposes. Among the photos are included some of Richard Nickel, as well as John Vinci, who were part of the preservationist team. I just found out on the internet (and the readers will be very glad to know), that Mr. Vinci continues to work as an architect and preservationist. His firm is Vinci/Hamp Architects. He spearheaded the project of moving the old Chicago Stock Exchange trading floor to the Art Institute in Chicago. You can view breathtaking photos of their restoration work (including the old Chicago Stock Exchange trading floor) on their website at www.vinci-hamp.com